There is provided a scalable area gripper that includes a structural frame and variable vacuum zones coupled to the structural frame. Each variable vacuum zone includes (i) vacuum ports, (ii) one or more movable barrier elements, and (iii) an actuator assembly to move each of the one or more movable barrier elements across one or more of the vacuum port(s), to cause the one or more vacuum port(s) to go between a closed state and an open state. One or more of the variable vacuum zone(s) is configured to be adjusted to each provide an adjusted vacuum zone that corresponds to a corresponding identified section of a material having a start portion and an end portion. Each adjusted vacuum zone is configured to be positioned adjacent to its corresponding identified section of the material, and is configured to be activated to pick up the material during a material handling process.

Some robotic arms may include vacuum-based grippers. Detecting the seal quality between each vacuum assembly of the gripper and a grasped object may enable reactivation of some vacuum assemblies, thereby improving the grasp. One embodiment of a method may include activating each of a plurality of vacuum assemblies of a robotic gripper by supplying a vacuum to each vacuum assembly, determining, for each of the activated vacuum assemblies, a first respective seal quality of the vacuum assembly with a first grasped object, deactivating one or more of the activated vacuum assemblies based, at least in part, on the first respective seal qualities, and reactivating each of the deactivated vacuum assemblies within a reactivation interval.

A vacuum cup assembly that generates a local vacuum using a prime mover that may be an electrical motor or a solenoid. The vacuum cup may have one or more ports to remove and vent air between the cup and the atmosphere. The prime mover drives a piston or a flexible membrane, which may be a diaphragm, through one or more reciprocating cycles to generate the local vacuum. The vacuum cup assembly may be used to form a temporary attachment to a work piece, the act on the work piece, such as by moving the work piece, and then release the work piece from the vacuum cup assembly. The vacuum cup assembly disclosed herein is self-contained inasmuch as the assembly may have a power source, such as a battery, located on a housing. This makes its operation quiet and effective.

A vacuum lifter apparatus for lifting sheet material articles comprises an upper chassis, a modular lower suction plate supported beneath the chassis, a controller and a source of vacuum air pressure, the suction plate comprising a suction lifting surface for providing vacuum lifting pressure to said articles. The modular suction plate has plural side-by-side modules, each module providing a different portion of the suction lifting surface and having one or more air outlets, outlets of one module separate from outlets of other modules and in fluid communication with the corresponding portion of the suction lifting surface and not with different portions of the suction lifting surface. The chassis comprises at least one air outlet connected to said source of vacuum air pressure, and a plurality of separate air flow channels through the chassis. Each air flow channel has an associated air flow valve and a valve actuator.

A suction assembly includes a main body, a sealing ring, an air duct, and a suction head. The main body includes a columnar wall, a top cover arranged at one end of the columnar wall and defining a first through hole, and a bottom cover arranged at another end of the columnar wall and defining a second through hole. The first through hole communicates with a negative pressure generating device. The sealing ring is sealed in the main body and movably arranged between the top cover and the bottom cover. The air duct includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end passes through the second through hole and is fixed in the sealing ring. The suction head is coupled to the second end.

An end effector is disclosed for an articulated arm. The end effector includes a valve assembly including a plurality of supply channels, each supply channel including a supply conduit, a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the supply conduit, and a supply conduit plug. The supply conduit is in fluid communication with a vacuum source. During use, each supply conduit is either at vacuum such that the pressure within the supply conduit is substantially at a vacuum pressure, or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum pressure because the supply conduit plug has moved to block a portion of the supply conduit. The pressure sensor of each supply conduit provides a pressure sensor signal responsive to whether the pressure in the conduit is either substantially at vacuum or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum.

Systems and methods of a robotic arm coupling for connecting a tool with a robotic arm are disclosed. In an embodiment, the robotic arm coupling includes: a mounting interface for mounting the robotic arm coupling on a robotic arm; a coupler interface on which differently actuated tools are releasably and interchangeably coupled; a fluid inlet port connected to an external fluid source to receive a pneumatic fluid; a plurality of interface fluid ports; at least one valve in fluid a communication with the fluid inlet port and settable to at least a first and a second operating state; and a suction device configured to apply a fluid suction pressure to an interface fluid port when a fluid pressure is provided to the suction device.

A robotic arm suction cup capable of eliminating negative pressure is provided. A robotic arm is provided with a first suction cup and a second suction cup of unequal length. Each of the first and second suction cups is connected with a Y-shaped tube. An end of the Y-shaped tube is connected with a communication tube. The communication tube is connected with a vacuum pump. Another end of the Y-shaped tube is connected with a pressure detection tube. A distal end of the pressure detection tube is connected with a pressure detector. The first and second suction cups are not coplanar, and can effectively eliminate the negative pressure between the first and second suction cups and a playing card rapidly, so that the playing card can be separated from the first and second suction cups easily for the game to go on smoothly.

A vacuum device for a material handling system includes a vacuum device body and a sealing element. The vacuum device body has a vacuum passageway in which a vacuum is generated in response to activation of a pressurized air supply that forces pressurized air through a venturi device. The sealing element moves to a sealing position to substantially seal the vacuum passageway when the air supply is activated, and is urged toward the sealing position via pressurized air that is diverted from an inlet of the vacuum device to the sealing element. The sealing element moves to substantially vent the vacuum passageway when the air supply is deactivated. The vacuum passageway may be in fluid communication with a vacuum cup, which seals against the object when the sealing element is at the sealing position and the vacuum generating device generates at least a partial vacuum in the vacuum passageway.

A device for connecting pneumatic tools to a manipulator is described. The device includes a main body fixable to a manipulator and provided with seats for corresponding coupling portions of a tool, at least one duct for feeding or suctioning a working fluid to/from the tool, the duct extends in the main body, and an engaging mechanism to engage to tool. The engaging mechanism is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position in order to respectively prevent or allow the detachment of the tool. Advantageously, the engaging mechanism further acts as a valve for opening and closing the duct and is provided with a vent to the atmosphere through which the pressure of the working fluid in the tool is automatically brought to the atmospheric pressure when the engaging mechanism is in the unlocked position.